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The Kingdom of Coins 













"Tommy found himself walking beside him down the road, with Jock dangling 
from one hand and the penny tightly clasped in the other.” — Page 12. 




THE 


KINGDOM OF COINS 

AND ) 

THE QUEER PEOPLE WHO LIVED THERE 

By BRADLEY GILMAN 

H 

AUTHOR OF “THE MUSICAL JOURNEY OF DOROTHY AND DELIA” 



BOSTON 

ROBERTS BROl^HERS 
1894 


Copyright^ 1889, 

By John Bradley Gilman. 



©Inttjcrsitg Press: 

John Wilson and Son, Cambridge. 


PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION. 


The fixed law of human growth is that fancies shall 
precede facts ; and this little story aims at imparting to 
children and young people certain quaint fancies re- 
garding money, — gold and silver coins, — which shall 
pleasantly hint at the hard facts of earning and spend- 
ing, as these present themselves later in life. 


BRADLEY GILMAN. 


1 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I. Tommy and Mr. Midas 9 

II. The Entrance to the Kingdom of Coins . . . . 17 

III. The Central Hall: the Pennies 27 

IV. The Central Hall : the Pounds 37 

V. The Museum . 46 

VI. The Hall of Furnaces 57 

VII. The Treasure Hall 67 

VIII. The Return Home 75 







LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

“ Tommy found himself walking beside him down the road,” etc. 

Frontispiece 

The Turnkey Titlepage 

Initial. “There sat Tommy,” etc 9 

Initial. “ Mr. Midas seized the heavy knocker,” etc. . . . 17 

“ There came into view the queerest creature ” 21 

Initial. “ He found himself standing,” etc 27 

The Game, — “ All that glitters is not gold ” 30 

“ Mr. Midas explained,” etc 33 

Initial. “ A Penny Saved ” 37 

Initial. “ Come, Tommy, and let us look,” etc 46 

“ You have often heard of ‘ monej" making the mare go ’ ” . . 49 

“ There, for example, is the ‘ Crooked Sixpence’” 53 

Initial. ‘‘ Tomm}^ looked, and saw a Pound,” etc 57 

“ They are boys who never could keep a penny,” etc 63 

“ Each with mouth wide open, to catch the coins,” etc. ... 65 

Initial. The Spendthrifts 67 

“ For hours and hours the spendthrifts flung them about” . . 73 

Initial. “ Cautioning Tommy to hold fast,” etc 75 

“ He was back on the doorstep of his own home ” 81 

Tommy entering the House 82 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


CHAPTER I. 


TOMMY AND MR. MIDAS. 



ITTLE TOMMY sat on the doorsteps before 
his house one summer’s day, and 
the hot sun streamed down over 
him in a flood. Tommy was very 
glad, however, to be so 
warm, for he was just 
recovering from a long 
illness, and was so pale 
and thin that the sun 
seemed only to put 
life and strength into 
him, and to do him 
no harm whatever. 

There sat Tommy, and held Jock hanging by an 

arm. In his other hand was a penny ” The little boy waS 


10 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


dressed in a suit of blue clothes just like those of a 
sailor, with anchors of white braid on the shoulders, 
with a large embroidered collar, and with trousers very 
wide at the bottom. On his head was a wide-brimmed 
straw hat, which surely was very unlike a sailor’s hat. 
Tommy, however, was not a real sailor, though there 
was no knowing what he might be later in life ; as yet 
he had not launched his bark for a voyage of his own, 
but had been only towed along in the wake of larger 
craft. In one chubby hand was carried a doll-like fig- 
ure, knitted from yarn, stuffed with bran, and adorned 
with fierce mustachios like a Spanish cavalier. This 
was Jock, — Tommy’s constant companion. He did not 
like the word doll,” — for only girls carry dolls!' 
This was always said by the young man with great 
scorn. 

Tommy and Jock were bosom companions. They 
were similar in tastes, and one in sex, so that the rela- 
tionship was lofty and Platonic in character. Tommy 
confided all his woes — which were many — to Jock, 
and Jock never betrayed his confidence. There were 
hours and even days of neglect on Tommy’s part. 


TOMMY AND ME. MIDAS. 


11 


during which Jock lay forgotten in some obscure 
corner ; but always, when the reunion came, Jock was 
forgetful of past neglect, and his mustachios shone as 
fiercely as ever. 

There in the sunlight sat Tommy, and held Jock, 
hanging by an arm, over the edge of the doorstep. 
Jock, for his part, was satisfied, — glad that he hung 
right side up by an arm, instead of upside down by 
a leg, and glad also that his arm was so strong. In 

Tommy’s other hand was a penny. His mother had 

given it to him a short time before, and he had planned 
a journey to the candy-shop, not far away ; but he 
was undecided, as he gazed first at the penny and then 
at the hot, dusty road, and Jock had no advice to offer. 

Thus the little boy sat on the doorstep, in a state of 

indecision ; and, the better to solve his problem, he 

closed his eyes for a few moments ; then, as he pondered 
over the heated road and the sweetness of the candy 
at the shop, his curly head with its broad-brimmed 
hat began to nod and nod, and presently inclined itself 
gently against the doorway, and — and thm^ — Tommy 
suddenly saw the strangest sight you can imagine. 


12 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


The front gate was about twenty feet distant; and 
standing there, facing toward him, Tommy saw a very 
queer-looking person. It was the figure of a man, but 
of a man not a foot taller than himself. He wore a 
loose red blouse, and loose green trousers tucked into 
very high boots, — that is to say, of course, the boots 
were high for him. On his head he wore a tall red hat 
that was shaped like a horn-of-plenty ; and under this 
queer hat looked out a jolly red face and twinkling 
black eyes. In his hand he carried a long cane or 
staff, from which hung a number of little bells, shaped 
like morning-glories, which were golden in color and 
tinkled softly as the staff was moved. 

It was all so unexpected by Tommy that he knew 
not what to do or say ; and as he looked, the little man 
had taken off his pointed red hat and was beckoning 
to him, smiling meanwhile in the kindest way in the 
world. Tommy was very much confused by it all at 
first ; but as he looked and looked, the little man 
seemed so kindly that he had no fear of him, and after 
that, almost without knowing how it had come about, 
Tommy found himself walking beside him down the 


TOMMY AND MR. MIDAS. 


13 


road, with Jock dangling from one hand and the penny 
tightly clasped in the other. 

The road seemed not nearly so hot as Tommy 
had feared, and he had no difficulty in keeping pace 
with his queer companion, because the legs of the 
little red and blue man were hardly longer than 
his own. 

‘‘What have you in your hand?” asked the little 
man, presently, speaking in a soft, gentle tone. 

He looked straight before him, as he spoke, and did 
not appear to notice Tommy ; so that Tommy was 
obliged to make a reply, instead of holding up his 
possessions in silence, which he would have preferred 
doing. “Jock and a penny, if you please, — if you 
please, — sir,” answered Tommy, in some doubt as to 
just the proper way to address so strange a person. 

“ Ah yes ! ah yes, yes ! ” said the little red and 
blue man, still looking intently before him. 

Nothing more was said for several moments, and 
the two walked steadily along beside each other. 
Then the little man smiled very sweetly, still keep- 
ing his eyes forward, shook the bells on his staff 


14 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


until they tinkled right merrily, and asked, How 
would you like to visit the place from which all the 
pennies and other coins come ? ” 

‘‘Oh, I ’d like it very much, I ’m sure,’’ answered 
Tommy, quickly. 

•'‘Very well,” continued the other, nodding his head 
with its red cap pleasantly, “ very well, then you shall 
go with me. You shall visit the Kingdom of Coins. 
That is my home. And you may call me by my name, 
too, if you wish.” 

“ Thank you,” said Tommy, and he waited to hear 
what the little man’s name was ; but the other said 
nothing. 

“If you please, sir, what name shall I call you?” 
inquired Tommy, after they had walked a short 
distance. 

“ Oh ! ah ! yes, yes ! Why, I did n’t tell you, 
did I ? I am so forgetful ; but then I am so ver}^ 
old too ! You could hardly expect a person who is 
over two thousand years old to have a good memory, 
could you ? ” Thereupon he laughed very heartily, 
and again quite forgot to answer Tommy’s question. 


TOMMY AND MK. MIDAS. 15 

If you please, sir, what is your name ? ’’ asked 
Tommy again. 

“ Oh ! ah ! yes ! ha, ha ! Midas, Midas. My name 
is Midas ; you may call me Mr. Midas, if you like.” 
And again he fell to laughing, even more loudly than 
before. 

Tommy pondered a few moments, and then in- 
quired very earnestly, “ And are you really over two 
thousand years old, Mr. — Mr. Midas?” 

Indeed, I am,” replied Mr. Midas. I am nearly 
two thousand two hundred and seventeen years old. 
My twenty-two hundred and seventeenth birthday will 
come next month. You must know about it. Tommy; 
it is this way : I was born in — ” 

Just then Mr. Midas paused, looked about him, and 
turned aside from the road, drawing Tommy gently 
with him. ^^Here we are at the entrance of the 
Kingdom of Coins. I will tell you about my history 
at some other time. But, stay a moment ! You can 
read about it; it is all written down in the stories 
of Greek mythology, — that is, all my early life, all 
they knew about me. I \e changed much since then ; 


16 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


and for the better I hope.” Here he smiled and 
chuckled and looked at Tommy, and Tommy could 
hardly keep from laughing himself ; but he refrained, 
for he thought it might seem disrespectful to laugh at 
so aged a person. 


CHAPTEE II. 


THE ENTRANCE TO THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 



“ Mr. Midas seized the heavy knocker and gave a 
great banging blow.’' 


NEW object of wonder 
now presented it- 
self to Tommy’s 
eyes. Mr. Midas 
had drawn him 
aside from the 
road, just where 
it skirted the edge 
of a hill. Tommy 
had passed this 
way many times 
before, but had 
never seen the re- 
markable sight he 
now gazed upon. 
Here in the side 
of the hill, in front 
of Mr. Midas and 
himself, was a door 


18 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


as high as a man’s head, and made, apparently, of highly 
polished brass. Mr. Midas seized the heavy knocker, 
which he was barely able to reach, and gave a great 
banging blow. As they waited for the door to be 
opened. Tommy had leisure to examine it carefully. 

It shone so brightly that it almost dazzled him. As ^ 
he reached out his hand to touch its smooth surface, 
Mr. Midas caught up the hand quickly, examined it 
a moment, and then let it fall again, saying, V ery 

good! There isn’t anything sticky on it, — any candy 
or the like, — so you can touch the door if you wish ; 
only don’t keep your fingers on it long, for that tar- 
nishes it, and Bad-Penny would be angry.” 

Bad-Penny ? asked Tommy, forgetting in his sur- 
prise to touch the door ; who is Bad-Penny, please ? ” 

Mr. Midas smiled upon the little boy, reached up 
and gave another blow with the knocker, and said : 

Bad-Penny is our porter and messenger ; he ’ll be here 
in a moment to let us in. He ’s very particular about 
his door, and does n’t wish to see it soiled. You might 
not get in if he noticed any marks from your hand.” 
Here he reached up and gave another blow on the 


THE ENTEANCE TO THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 19 

door, and then resumed: Bad-Penny, is n’t good for 
much except to run errands and do the lightest kind 
of work. He never fully got his growth ; if he had, 
he would n’t be a penny at all.” 

Here he looked at Tommy wisely, and the little boy 
felt that he ought to say something, but knew not 
what ; and while he was thinking, Mr. Midas continued : 

You see, in our country — the Kingdom of Coins — 
pennies grow to be pounds ; and it happens in this 
way; namely, because the pennies are our children, 
and every one has an interest in children ; so that this 
interest, if long continued, will change a penny into a 
pound. Now, here is Bad-Penny ! Nobody took much 
interest in him because he was bad, and the result is 
he has grown but little, and has always remained a 
penny. We could n’t find any fit work for him for a 
long time, but now he ’s in his right place. Our other 
door-keeper was very apt to fall asleep or to wander 
away and not be at hand when needed ; but Bad-Penny 
is — Ah, there he comes now! I can hear him. I 
feared I must ring again. I often ring many times; 
but^ he always comes sooner or later. Yes, Bad-Penny 


20 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


always turns up. Perhaps you may have heard tha^ 
expression, ^ A bad penny always turns up.’ It comes 
from us.” 

The little boy was about to shake his head in the 
negative, when a rattling, as of bolts, was heard on 
the other side of the door; then it began to swing 
slowly open, and as it swung, there came into view 
the queerest creature Tommy had ever seen. He was 
much queerer than Mr. Midas. It was easy to see 
why he was called Bad-Penny,” or, at least, easy to 
see why he was called a ‘"Penny” at all; for he was 
nothing but a round, penny-shaped creature, with legs 
and arms like slender sticks or pipe-stems, similar to 
those given by Tommy to the men he drew on his 
slate. Mr. Midas greeted the strange being famil- 
iarly, and was about to enter ; but Bad-Penny pushed 
him back until he had carefully examined the outer 
surface of the door. Then, finding it untarnished, he 
stood aside and allowed Tommy and the little man to 
enter. 

As soon as the two were fairly within, the door 
closed behind them with a loud clang, though how 


THE ENTRANCE TO THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 21 



“ There came into view the queerest creature Tommy had ever seen. It was easy 
to see why he was called ' Bad-Penny.’ ” — Page 20. 


22 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


Bad-Penny, with his slender arms, ever did it, Tommy 
was puzzled to fancy. For a few minutes the dark- 
ness- was very dense; but the little boy's eyes became 
quickly adjusted to it, and he saw, by a dim light 
at a distance, that he was in a gallery or corridor 
cut through the solid rock. His companion now took 
his hand and led him carefully along, while Bad- 
Penny followed them a short distance, and then dis- 
appeared in a side gallery. 

We are now entering the Kingdom of Coins,” said 
Mr. Midas, and you need not fear any harm. We 
are coming now to a better-lighted part of the cor- 
ridor. You see the lights just ahead ? Those are coins 
of unusual purity and brilliancy, and we make them 
serve as lights for us. We tried them nearer the door, 
but the outer air discolors them ; and Bad-Penny, who 
polishes them, said he would not — he would not be 
responsible for them.” 

Tommy had been somewhat frightened in the dark- 
ness ; but now, coming to the light, and seeing Mr. 
Midas looking at him as pleasantly as ever, he took 
new heart, held fast to Mr. Midas with one hand. 


THE ENTRANCE TO THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 23 

clutched Jock tightly with the other, and looked about 
him with great curiosity. The lights were scattered 
along the sides and top of the gallery as thickly as 
fireflies in a meadow. 

As they proceeded, Tommy was greatly delighted 
at the charming sight of the colors, and he noticed 
that some of the lights were a dull yellow, others 
were of a blue tint and very intense, while still others 
were of a rich, lustrous golden hue. Mr. Midas kindly 
explained to him that the dull lights, which were tlie 
most numerous, were copper coins ; the intense blue- 
tinted ones were silver, and the lustrous yellow ones 
were golden. “We once made them much larger than 
we do now,” said he ; and his voice grew a little sad 
as he spoke. “ Before the days of bank-bills and 
notes and drafts and all those wretched inventions, we 
were a busier people than now.’V 

Then he paused, and there seemed to come over 
him just such a mood of forgetfulness as Tommy had 
noticed in him once or twice before. Tommy felt a 
little lonely and timid for a moment, and clutched 


24 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


Jock a bit tighter. ‘^Ah yes!” murmured Mr. Midas, 
recovering himself, “ah, yes! those were glorious days.” 
Then he turned suddenly toward Tommy. “Why, do 
you know, in those days we made the stars and the 
moon and the sun. We did, indeed. It was our 
people that made them. The moon is a great silver 
coin that was hung up in the sky by one of our 
workmen. He carried it to the top of a high moun- 
tain and threw it up against the sky. Afterward we 
did the same with a fine gold coin we made, and 
that became the sun. Haven’t you ever heard, now, — 
have n’t you ever heard people speak of “ the silver 
moon ” ? And often they speak of “ the golden rays ” 
of the sun. So you see people really know what the 
sun and moon are made of, though they may not 
directly admit it.” 

Tommy was so interested and surprised that he 
answered nothing for several minutes, and the two 
walked along in silence. Mr. Midas seemed a good 
deal depressed ; he shook his head sadly, and his look 
was bent upon the ground. “ Have n’t you noticed 


THE ENTRANCE TO THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 25 

the spots on the moon ? ” he inquired ; and without 
waiting for a reply he continued in a mournful tone: 
‘^They are getting darker and darker, and are spread- 
ing ; you just notice them the next time there is a 
full moon! We’re not allowed to rub them off any 
more. And there are some, too, on the sun. But 
there 1 there ! we must n’t complain.” 

Presently the little boy broke the silence. If 
you please, Mr. Midas, how did the sfars come ? ” 
My dear child,” said the queer little man, clear- 
ing his throat and shaking his staff and bells vigor- 
ously, — ^^my dear child, the stars are filings and bits 
of clippings from our silver coins. They are blown 
up from our chimneys, and are scattered over the sky. 
They are of all shapes, and are not firmly fastened 
on ; so that, when the wind blows, they shake about, 
and people call it twinkling.” Here we are, though, 
at the end of the corridor. I will now show you 
the great central hall of the Kingdom of Coins ; and 
you must keep very close to me, for there are many 
people busy in this place, and as they are all crea- 


26 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


tures of metal, you must not get in their way ; you 
might be sadly bruised.” 

Tommy nodded assent, but in an absent sort of 
way, for already the glare and din of the great 
central hall were assaihng his eyes and ears. 


* 


CHAPTER III. 


THE CENTRAL HALL : THE PENNIES. 



HEN they reached the 
edge of the hall into 
which the corridor opened 
directly, Mr. Midas did 
not pause, but saying, 
Now keep fast 
hold of my hand,” 
hurried Tom- 
my at once 
across the 
hall, which 
was like a 
cave, and 
brought him 
in safety to 

“He found himself standing before a huge image or statue, other side, 

seated upon a throne.” 

The little boy 


28 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


was SO confused by the noise and the queer people mov- 
ing rapidly all about him, that he kept his eyes closed 
during most of the perilous passage. When he felt 
his companion stop, he opened them again, and 
found himself standing before a huge image or statue, 
seated upon a throne. This statue was made in the 
form of a man, and was composed of many, many 
pieces, which shone like burnished gold. It seemed 
to be made of thousands of joints, and yet it sat 
quite erect, with great dignity. While Tommy stood 
in unspeakable amazement before this grand figure, 
Mr. Midas explained that it was their king. We 
have two classes of people here, as you will presently 
see,” said he, — the children and the grown people ; 
the children are called ^ Pennies,’ and the grown 
people are called ‘ Pounds.’ The Pennies have very 
little to do except to amuse themselves ; for the work 
is all done by the Pounds. Now this king was once a 
Pound ; but when he was chosen to reign over us 
he at once necessarily became a Sovereign. As for 
these joints, they are the signs by which we know 
that he is fitted to be our ruler ; for we are a mon- 


THE CENTRAL HALL : THE PENNIES. 29 

archy only in name, and choose only such a king as 
will bow easily to the will of the people.” 

Tommy’s poor little legs were beginning to feel weary, 
and he must have pulled pretty heavily upon his 
companion’s hand ; for Mr. Midas checked himself and 
exclaimed in a pitying tone : Why, the poor child ! 
He is tired ; there, now, turn about and sit down on 
the steps of this throne ! That will rest you ; and 
you can look over the hall very easily.” 

So Tommy climbed up over the first step, which 
was made of iron, and sat upon the next above, 
which was of polished brass or copper ; the next step 
above and last was of purest silver. Thus the tired 
child sat on the copper step, rested his feet on the 
iron step, and leaned his back against the silver step ; 
then he directed his gaze about the hall. 

This hall was like a vast cavern hewn in ^he solid 
rock. The roof was lofty, and from it and the sides 
twinkled and glowed and blazed light-giving coins of 
copper and silver and gold. There was a great deal 
going on throughout the hall, so much indeed that 
for a few moments Tommy really could distinguish 


30 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


nothing. Then his attention became drawn to a group 
of creatures directly in front of him engaged in some 
kind of game. At once he discerned that they were 
Pennies ; for they closely resembled Bad-Penny, the 



His attention became drawn to a group of creatures engaged in some kind of 
game. At once he discerned that they were Pennies.” 


porter. They had the same shape ; their bodies were 
round, like a penny, and their arms and legs were thin, 
like sticks ; their faces were at the upper edge of their 
bodies, and they had no necks whatever. Tommy invol- 
untarily sighed with envy, reflecting that they had n’t 
to fuss over collars and ties. As he lifted Jock up 


THE CEKTRAL HALL: THE PENNIES. 31 

SO that he too might share in the odd spectacle, the 
Pennies began seating themselves upon the floor of the 
hall in a circle, and were evidently about to begin a 
new game. 

''Now, Jock,” whispered Tommy to his bosom friend, 
" let ’s watch and learn the game, so that we can play 
it ourselves.” 

Jock’s mustachios seemed to curl even more fiercely 
as he stared straight before him ; Mr. Midas was 
leaning his head on his staff, in a meditative way ; 
and Tommy had now lost nearly all his fear and 
weariness. 

The Pennies, being seated upon the floor of the 
hall in a circle, joined hands ; then a Penny, who 
had been left out of the number, jumped into the 
midst of the ring, and began running about, from 
one part to another, watching very closely. The 
Pennies on the floor, for their part, kept perfectly 
still. Suddenly something flashed and glittered in the 
hands of one of the Pennies ; but with a leap and 
a bound the watchful Penny was at the spot. He 
grasped at the glittering object, and after a brief 


32 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


struggle captured it ; but as he looked at it more 
closely, a laugh went up from all the Pennies in 
the circle, and he threw the object away in disgust, 
and resumed his eager watching. 

This was repeated again and again. Indeed, it seemed 
to be the whole of the game. Tommy could not make 
very much out of it ; but Mr. Midas, rousing himself, 
leaned forward and explained that the game was 
called All that glitters is not gold.” 

Tommy had often heard his grandmother say those 
words as she rocked softly back and forth in her arm- 
chair, and he now resolved to recollect this game and 
tell her about it. 

That is a game which we encourage the Pennies 
to play,” remarked Mr. Midas. 

They seem to like it,” ventured Tommy. 

^^Yes, and it is good for them,” added his companion. 

It teaches them a great many things, and we insist 
upon their learning all they can. Most of the Pennies 
are quick and improve rapidly ; but sometimes we have 
one who does very well as a Penny, but when he 
grows up into a Pound is rather deficient. That has 


THE CENTRAL HALL : THE PENNIES. 



“ Mr. Midas explained that the game was called ‘ All that glitters 
not gold.’ ” — Page 32. 


34 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


given rise among us to the phrase, ^ Penny-wise and 
Pound-foolish,’ — an expression that has met with some 
favor among men and women, I believe.” 

The Pennies now ended their game as suddenly 
as they had begun it. They sprang up, making a 
clinking sound with their feet as they rose, and, 
again joining hands, began the gayest dance Tommy 
had ever witnessed. For music they had only their 
own voices ; but they sang some words, which Tommy 
could not hear, to the familiar air of Money Musk,” 
and keeping time with their clinking feet they made 
such merry music that the little boy smiled with delight, 
and Mr. Midas waved his staff, tinkling the beautiful 
morning-glory bells in time with the dancers. 

How long they danced Tommy did not know. The 
movements of the queer people were so graceful, and 
their voices so harmonious, that the time passed very 
quickly. Presently, however, they ceased their danc- 
ing, and, separating into little groups of three and 
four, began another song, and sauntered leisurely away 
toward the lower end of the hall. Tommy caught 
only the first few strains of this song, — it was Sing 


THE CENTKAL HALL : THE PENNIES. 35 

a song o’ sixpence ; ” — and it soon faded quite away 
in the distance. 

At this point Tommy noticed a figure that he had 
seen standing near the dancing Pennies. He seemed 
to be a Penny himself, only he was not at all frivolous 
or sportive, but moved about in a grand and stately way. 
On his round flat body, just below the place where 
his chin should have been, was printed, A PENNY 
EARNED.” Luckily for Tommy, who was not out of 
his primer, the letters were very plainly printed, all 
in capitals, and he was able to make out. the words ; 
but when he had done this, he was puzzled a little 
to explain them. He turned to ask Mr. Midas about 
the matter. 

When he turned back again he was even more ^ 
puzzled than before, for the same creature was stand- 
ing there ; only, the words now read, A PENNY 
SAVED” 

Tommy was perfectly astonished ; but Mr. Midas 
said calmly, Wait a moment!*” And Tommy looked, 
when, like a flash, the figure whirled about, and there 
were the former words, A PENNY EARNED.” 


36 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


Tommy looked at Mr. Midas, and Mr. Midas smiled 
in a peculiar way. You see it ’s the same thing ; 
he ’s the same Penny,” said the little old man. Do 
you think you can understand and remember the 
lesson ? ” 


CHAPTER IV. 


THE CENTRAL HALL: THE POUNDS. 



F course Tommy wished to 
do what Mr. Midas 
directed, and he 
began to say over 
and over again, 
A penny earned 
is the same thing 
as a penny saved;” 
but the other heard 
him, and said, Per- 
haps it would be 
easier to remember, 
and also more useful 
to you afterward, if 

“ The same creature was standing there ; only, the 

words now read, ‘ A Penny saved.’ ” you were tO Say it, 


A penny saved is a penny earned.” 


38 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


Tommy tried it this way, and it certainly was easier 
to remember, though as yet he did not understand it. 

He was roused from his thoughts by a sound of 
clinking and clanking, like men with iron shoes walk- 
ing. He at once raised his eyes to look about him, 
and Mr. Midas said, Now is a good time to see the 
Pounds ; they are going to their work in another 
hall.” 

The little boy was moved with curiosity to see the 
Pounds, because he had already heard about them. 
He expected to find them looking much like the Pen- 
nies, only larger; but, instead, they looked almost like 
gray ghosts, — that is, if there really be any ghosts at 
all, which I sometimes seriously question. They very 
likely may have been like the Pennies, underneath, — 
indeed, Mr. Midas afterward assured Tommy that they 
were, — but so far as their outer appearance was con- 
cerned, all that could be seen was a grayish garment 
or gown entirely covering them, except their arms and 
hands and their feet. 

It was a strange sight, yet only one of many that 
the child had seen ; and he was not so greatly amazed 


THE CENTRAL HALL : THE POUNDS. 


39 


as at first. Still, he stared very steadily at them for 
several minutes, and then turned to the kind friend at 
his side for the explanation which he knew would be 
ready. 

There ! you have seen the Pounds,'’ said Mr. Midas. 

I am very glad they chanced this way while we were 
in so good a position for viewing them. They are 
Pounds now, but once they were all Pennies. You 
would hardly suspect that those serious people were 
once careless, frivolous pennies ; but they were. Once 
they needed care and instruction just as do the Pen- 
nies that you saw ; but now they are models of 
faithfulness and industry. We have worked out this 
principle, have proved it, "^If you take care of the 
pennies, the pounds will take care of themselves." 

Here Tommy happened to cast his glance down 
toward his feet, and he noticed that his penny — his 
own penny without arms and legs, which he had 
brought from home — had dropped upon the lowest 
step, the iron step of the throne. He at once stooped 
down and picked it up. 

^Wery good!" exclaimed Mr. Midas; very good 


40 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


indeed ! And now what was I saying ? Oh, I was tell- 
ing you about the Pounds. I was on the point of 
explaining about their appearance. They wear those 
garments outside, but there is good gold underneath. 
Of course, if they were, underneath, only what they 
appear to be on the outside, they could n’t walk or 
accomplish anything.” 

Tommy, in his eagerness to get a good view of the 
Pounds, had risen to his feet ; now, in response to a 
sign from Mr. Midas, he sat down, and restored poor 
Jock — whom he had been holding upside down by one 
foot — to a vertical position ; then he composed himself 
to hear what his quaint friend of the staff and bells 
was about to impart. 

^^You may have noticed,” said Mr. Midas, speaking 
in a more leisurely way, — you may have noticed that 
the Pounds were not talking with one another, but were 
bent on their various errands in entire silence.” 

Yes, Mr. Midas,” assented Tommy. 

“ I am very glad that you did, for that will help 
you to understand what I now am about to tell you.” 

Tommy and Jock were giving the closest attention. 


THE CENTRAL HALL : THE POUNDS. 


41 


^‘You must know, or rather, I may say, you surely 
can’t know, — which often comes to much the same 
thing, — you surely can’t know about the other king- 
doms below this one, the kingdoms of iron and the 
rest.” 

The little boy certainly had no knowledge of them 
whatever. His blank look of wondering interest testi- 
fied to that. 

“ Then I will tell you a little, a very little, about 
them,” said Mr. Midas. Here his face began to take on 
that far-away expression which it had before worn ; but 
this was only for a moment. Then he resumed : — 

There are three other realms or kingdoms below 
this one. The lowest one of all is the iron realm. I 
was never there but once; the creatures who live and 
work there are so wild and terrible to look upon, and 
speak so harsh and grating a jargon, that one’s senses 
are pained. The next realm above the iron one is 
that of copper and brass. I have never fairly entered 
that one at all ; for those brass and copper people 
keep up such a tremendous noise that any one but 
themselves would be killed by it. Next above the 


42 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


brass realm comes the silver realm. I have been in 
that kingdom often. It is very pleasant, very pleas- 
ant. But there is little or no work done by the silver 
people. They spend most of the time in talking ; 
their language is very sweet and their voices are 
very soft. The people of this kingdom despise them, 
because they so often ask for aid to complete their 
work ; and from hearing them talk so much and work 
so little, the people here have come into the way of 
saying nothing at all, but they work the harder to 
make up. Perhaps you may have heard the expres- 
sion, ^ Speech is silver, but silence is golden.’ That 
is another of the maxims which the people above have 
borrowed from us. There are many surprising things 
I could tell you about the lower kingdoms, but the 
most surprising of them all is — ” 

At this point in the narrative something happened 
which interrupted it; and as Tommy afterward forgot 
to ask about this most surprising thing,” he never 
learned what it was. 

The interruption came in the sounding of a sweet- 
toned bell from some point back of the throne and 


THE CENTRAL HALL : THE POUNDS. 43 

the king ; at once, on hearing it, Mr. Midas leaped 
up with great alacrity, seized Tommy by the hand. 
Tommy caught up Jock by the arm, and all three 
hurried down from the steps of the throne and stood 
facing it, about a dozen paces away. 

I am so glad you will be able to see it, — I am so 
glad,” exclaimed Mr. Midas, with expressions of delight. 

So am I,” assented Tommy. Will it be very 
nice and strange ? ” 

Very nice and strange indeed,” said the other. 

In one minute you will see a very strange sight.” 

As he spoke he kept his gaze fixed upon the figure 
of the king, so bright and so full of joints ; and 
Tommy, not knowing what else to do, directed his 
gaze toward the same object. 

Thus they paused. A few seconds passed, and 
again the bell sounded. At this second signal a 
beautiful smile crept over the face of the king, then 
he bowed his head gently on his breast, and then — 
his whole body bowed forward, and all the joints, 
down to the very tiniest, became unjointed, and in 
a mass of golden splendor, in a shower of radiance. 


44 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


the king came to the throne-floor, a great heap of gold 
ingots, that covered the top and flowed down even to 
the iron step. 

It was indeed a sight to be long remembered ; but 
Tommy had no time to ask about it just then, for 
from all sides came Pounds, hurrying, yet in utter 
silence, and began gathering up and bearing away 
the gold ingots. There were very many ingots, but 
there were also very many Pounds; and the work 
was rapidly carried on. Tommy looked at them for 
a minute or two, and then turned toward his com- 
panion. What a sad, sad fate ! ” was all he could 
say, thinking of the poor king. 

Not at all ! not at all ! ” replied Mr. Midas, 
cheerfully. In the foundry hall they had unexpect- 
edly gotten out of gold, and the king was merely ready 
to give himself for his people ; he was a true king, and 
a true king must, always be ready to do that. Once 
we had a king who was not of the purest gold, and 
he would n’t sacrifice himself for his subjects, no mat- 
ter how great their need might be. So he stayed 
and stayed on the throne, and grew tarnished and 


THE CENTRAL HALL : THE POUNDS. 


45 


corroded, and his joints stuck fast together, and at last 
he became quite blind and helpless. Since then our 
kings have had less and less base metal in them, — 
that is to say, they have been made of purer and 
purer gold ; and the purer they are, the easier the 
joints come apart. Now, one moment more and you 
will see the new king.” 

As he spoke, the last one of the ingots was 
gathered up, the last one of the industrious Pounds 
bore it away, the throne was moved, by some hidden* 
power, to one side, and — again the sweet-toned bell 
sounded. Then came a great change ; the rocky wall, 
just behind the throne, opened from top to bottom, 
each half moved aside, and behind this rocky wall 
was disclosed another throne and another king pre- 
cisely like the first. . Then a chorus of voices rang 
out from the distance, sounding like a chime, The 
king never dies ; live the king ! ” 

That was the whole of it; it all seemed to come 
out right enough, but Tommy could not help feeling 
sorry for the former king. 


CHAPTER V. 


THE MUSEUM. 


* 



Come, Tommy, and let us look at some of the other 
interesting sights.” 


OME, Tommy,” 
said Mr. Midas, 
still smiling with 
pleasure at hav- 
ing been able to 
show him the 
change in sover- 
eigns, “ come and 
let us look at 
some of the other 
interesting sights; 
there are more of 
them in this un- 
derground king- 
dom than I can 
show you during 


THE MUSEUM. 


47 


this your first visit, but you may come again ; now 
let us look at ‘The Museum.’” 

Thus speaking, he led Tommy and Jock toward 
the left, across the Central Hall; but a moment later 
he drew the little boy hastily back. “ Wait one 
moment,” said he, “ or we may be run over ! ” 
Tommy shrank back and kept close by his side, 
while a wretched-looking beast, a knock-kneed horse, 
came hobbling by, laden with huge bags and bundles, 
and driven by some shrill-voiced Pennies, while just 
behind followed two or three Pounds. The sorry 
creature bore her burdens with difficulty, but the Pen- 
nies struck her at times, and urged her on. 

“ That ’s the only beast of burden we have here,” 
remarked Mr. Midas ; “ and I tell them that they 
make her work too hard, quite too hard.” 

Then, turning to Tommy, he said : “ You may never 
have seen her before, but I m sure you have heard 
of her. You have often heard, have n’t you, of ‘ money 
making the mare go ’ ? Well, that is the mare ; and 
as you can see, she is compelled to go, whether she 
wishes to or not.” The child had seen a great many 


48 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


horses, but never such a pitiable creature as this ; 
and he ventured to say as much. ^^Very likely, 
very likely!” nodded his companion. ^^She is a sorry 
beast, is the mare that money makes go ; and I wish 
that all men could know it, as you do. Here we 
are, though, near the entrance of the Museum.” 

Some one had preceded them, and was just enter- 
ing as they came up. He stopped for a moment at a 
table just outside the doorway, and after doing some- 
thing which Tommy could not distinguish, passed on 
into the hall. When the two, in their turn, came 
near, the little boy was eager to see what was on 
this table ; but only by standing on his tiptoes could 
he look over the edge. 

There on the table, made of glittering silver that 
reflected Tommy’s face as well as a mirror could have 
done it, lay a penny stretched out, flat on his back, 
with eyes closed, and apparently asleep. 

Asleep he was, indeed ; for as he felt the table jostle 
he started up, opened his eyes, rubbed them a little 
with his knuckles, which were brass, and then lay 
perfectly still, as if waiting for Tommy to do some 



“You have often heard of ‘money making the mare go/ Well, that’s the mare : 
and as you can see, she is compelled to go, whether she wishes to or not” 

Page ‘^1 


50 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


thing. But Tommy knew not what he was expected 
to do. 

Turn him ! ” directed Mr. Midas, turn him over ! '' 

The boy was at first timid, and hesitated, but a look 
at the Penny reassured him ; for the Penny smiled 
and then grinned, — if not from ear to ear, at least 
from edge to edge. 

So Tommy boldly took the Penny by an arm and a 
leg, and turned him over upon his face. No sooner was 
he fairly over than he sprang back to his former position, 
closed his eyes, and before Tommy could wink his own 
eyes twice, was breathing heavily, wrapped in slumber. 

Come ! we may go in now,’' said Mr. Midas. I ’ll 
tell you about it as we go. It’s an old, old custom 
of ours. We call it ^ turning an honest penny.’ You 
noticed how very clear and bright that penny was. 
V ery good ! He is our standard penny ; he has full 
weight, and is absolutely without flaw or stain. Every- 
body who goes in or passes near him, turns him. He 
becomes a little weary of this ; but then he has a great 
deal of time to himself, and, being without any duties, 
he devotes the larger part of it to sleep.” 


THE MUSEUM. 


51 


The two had now passed within the Museum door; 
and Tommy not only gazed eagerly about him, but 
held up Jock that he too might see. There were so 
many, many objects to draw the little boy’s attention 
that, like most sight-seers, he hardly saw anything 
clearly. Very likely he would have remained rooted 
to the spot in helpless astonishment if Mr. Midas had 
not taken him by the arm and led the way about 
the hall, explaining the curiosities as they walked. 

“ Some of these objects, which we preserve so care- 
fully,” said the little man, pointing proudly about the 
walls with his staff, — some of these objects are really 
valuable in themselves, and some are valuable only 
for the associations they have. There, for example, 
is the ^ Crooked Sixpence ’ that was found by the 
Crooked Man under the Crooked Style. You surely 
have heard of that ? ” 

Indeed I have,” exclaimed Tommy, with delight. 

My mamma read it to me once out of the ^ Mother 
Goose Nursery Rhymes.’ ” 

Certainly ; you are quite right,” responded the other, 
gravely. Now that sixpence is valuable, not of itself. 


52 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


but because it reminds one of what can be done by per- 
severance ; the little ‘ Crooked Man’s ’ perseverance was 
very commendable. He has gone to the bad, though, 
since then. It is n’t a very long way to the bad, 
either; but short as it is, there are many places along 
it where one can easily lose his money. And the 
Crooked Man lost his Crooked Sixpence, after he had 
searched for it so long. One of our people found it 
again, however, and brought it here, where we keep it 
safely locked up in this glass case.” 

There was so much to see that the two did not pause 
long at any one place. Mr. Midas was very obliging, 
and answered all the questions that Tommy could ask, 
which were many. 

What is that?'' inquired the boy for the fiftieth 
time, pointing toward a straight bar of gleaming gold 
which hung against the wall on one side, and was 
inscribed with many letters and words in a language 
strange to Tommy. 

That is the Golden Rule, my dear child,” answered 
Mr. Midas. ‘‘ It came from far away in the East. It 
is marked with mystic sentences and magic symboh. 





“ There, for example, is the ‘ Crooked Sixpence.’ You surely have heard 
of that 1 ” — Page 51. 


54 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


It came down from heaven, they say ; and it stayed 
among men only a brief time. Wicked magicians and 
crafty sages tried very hard to change it.s shape and 
to cheapen it with baser metals, but all in vain ; it kept 
its purity and its perfect form. Then they threw it 
away and forgot all about it. So we brought it down 
here. We don’t expect to keep it here always, though. 
When men grow better, the word will come and we 
shall send it back among them.” 

The little man’s voice grew sad as he spoke these last 
words in a subdued way, and Tommy was almost sorry 
that he had asked about the Golden Rule ; but Mr. Midas 
quickly recovered himself, and they resumed their walk, 
coming at each step upon some new wonder. 

Finally, when the tour of the marvellous Museum 
was about completed, Mr. Midas stopped Tommy in 
front of a beautifully inlaid case, in which, upon a 
velvet cushion, were lying a number of silver coins. 

I fancy you could not by any chance guess what they 
are, could you ? ” inquired Mr. Midas, looking at the 
boy ; perhaps you could, though, if you were to count 
them.” 


THE MUSEUM. 


55 


Tommy certainly could not guess, and he could not 
see what was to be gained by counting them. Still, 
he followed the suggestion, and began : One, two, 
three — and so on. He found some difficulty as he 
went on, but at last he made his way through eigh- 
teen ” and nineteen,” and came to twenty.” 

There are twenty, please,” he announced doubtfully. 

That is quite right,” said Mr. Midas, with an ap- 
proving smile. There are just twenty. Now does 
that number help you to come near the guess?” 

Tommy shook his curly head in a perplexed way. 
He had no idea what Mr. Midas meant. 

Twenty pieces of silver,” said Mr. Midas, — twenty 
pieces of silver.” And he repeated it in a suggestive 
way. 

Still Tommy was without any clew. 

I am sure you know. Tommy,” said he, kindly 
persisting, if you only try to remember. Who was 
sold into Egypt? It must be that you have — ” 

Oh, I know, I know ! ” exclaimed Tommy, with 
delight. It was Joseph. His cruel brothers sold him 
for twenty pieces of silver.” And the laugh began to 


56 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


fade on his red little lips, as he thought of the sad 
story about the young lad sent away as a slave among 
the Midianite traders. 

His good friend was clearly pleased that he had 
recalled it; and the two stood gazing at the silver 
pieces for several minutes in silence. Then, as they 
turned away, Mr. Midas put his hand on Tommy’s 
shoulder, and his face wore a stern and pained ex- 
pression. “ Tommy,” said he, we have other pieces 
of silver, thirty in number ; but no one looks upon 
them, they are shown to nobody. They are stained 
and discolored beyond all our powers to purify them ; 
stained with the blood of an Innocent One, Tommy, 
who dwelt among men ages ago.” 

Then the two passed out in silence, hand in hand, 
from the Museum. 


CHAPTEE VI. 


THE HALL OF FURNACES. 



“ Tommy looked, and saw a Pound 
busy with a hammer.” 


EVERAL minutes passed before 
either Tommy or Mr. Midas 
spoke. Then the boy, recall- 
ing the many objects of beauty 
and interest in the museum, 
murmured under his breath, 
Oh, it was just wonderful 
and lovely ! ’’ 

Mr. Midas seemed to be 
pleased with the childish sin- 
cerity of the exclamation, and 
said, We will now go to the 
hall where the gold ore is 
melted and run into ingots, 
and the coins are moulded. 
Do you think you can bear 
a good deal of noise?” 


58 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


Tommy smiled, in a somewhat shamefaced way. His 
mamma had so often told him he made more noise than 
she could endure. Will it be a very, very loud noise ? 
he asked critically. 

Indeed it will,” responded Mr. Midas. 

Tommy was silent a moment. Will the noise be 
louder than a tin-pan, and a drum, and a dog barking, 
and a whistle blowing ? ” he asked, with great interest, 
recalling his own achievements. 

Mr. Midas smiled fondly upon the child, and patted 
him on the head. It will be even louder than all that. 
But we are yet at a little distance from the hall, and 
there are a few things along this way that you may like 
to see. There is something now ! What do you suppose 
that Pound is doing ? ” 

Tommy looked, and saw a Pound busy, with hammer 
and other tools, upon an immense gate, which seemed to 
be made all of gold. It was very large, and was fashioned 
most beautifully, having graceful figures and lovely faces 
worked into it. The boy was lost in admiration for 
several minutes ; then his good friend aroused him with 
the question, Did you ever see that before ? ” 


THE HALL OF FURJ^ACES. 


59 


Tommy had become so used to confessing ignorance 
about these wonderful objects in the Kingdom of Coins, 
that he answered very readily, No, Mr. Midas, if you 
please.” 

Ah ! humph ! ” ejaculated Mr. Midas, making-believe 
frown, and putting on a droll expression. You ’ve 
never seen it ? What, pray, is your hour for rising in 
the morning ? ” 

Tommy’s mind was very clear on that painful point. 

If you please, it ’s seven in summer and eight in 
winter.” 

Oh ! ah ! That accounts for your not knowing what 
that gate is. That is one of the Golden gates of Morn.” 
A great many people sing pretty songs about those gates 
who never set eyes on them, not once. The sun comes 
through them at least an hour before you are up. Splen- 
did works of skill they are, but they will get out of order 
a little at times. It may be that a hinge gets clogged ; 
or, the sun strikes against them some morning when he ’s 
a little late and in a hurry ; and then there is no help for 
it, but they must come here to be repaired. That ’s 
not so easy a matter to arrange, either, because they 


60 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


can’t be spared long at a time ; though when the weather 
is cloudy it ’s no matter, you see, if they ’re not in place, 
— no one would notice.” 

Tommy lingered awhile, watching the industrious 
Pound ; then he turned and hurried after his compan- 
ion, whispering to Jock meanwhile that it would be 
pretty bad to be lost in this confusing world. As they 
proceeded, — the three, — sounds came more and more 
distinctly to Tommy’s ear, which he knew must proceed 
from the hall containing the furnaces and hammers. 
The noise increased as they drew nearer, the clinking 
and clanking grew louder and louder, and Tommy 
tightened his grasp of Mr. Midas’s hand. 

Let ’s stand a moment or two at the entrance,” said 
Mr. Midas, until your ears become used to the noise.” 

Tommy was nothing loath, and they both stepped to- 
ward one side of the doorway, just in time to allow a 
group of Pounds to pass, each bearing a tray heaped 
up with coins. 

They were not new coins, Tommy was sure ; for they 
were all more or less discolored, and some were tarnished 
so much that they looked like clay coins. Those are 


THE HALL OF FUKNACES. 


61 


going to be re-cast/’ said Mr. MidaJ5. Watch the 
Pounds and you will see.” 

Sure enough, the trays were taken in turn to the door 
of a furnace, and emptied into it. Those are all coins 
that have been used for dishonest purposes while in the 
w^orld,” continued the little man. They are collected 
and brought here to be made pure again.” 

Tommy’s eyes were roving very rapidly over the 
many curious and almost alarming sights presented to 
him. He saw a row of huge furnaces ranged along one 
side of the hall, and when one of their doors was opened 
it almost blinded him ; but he learned to look quickly 
away, and his ears were now becoming used to the 
mighty roar of the hammers, so that he felt less timid. 

These hammers were many times larger than any 
sledge-hammer that Tommy had ever seen ; and they 
moved regularly, by some unseen machinery. There 
were Pounds busy everywhere about the hall ; and how 
they ever could avoid all the terrible hammers, and not 
fall into the fierce furnaces, was a wonder to Tommy. 
Presently his glance fell upon a row of boys — at least 
they seemed to be boys — about equal in age to himself. 


62 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


standing in a line near one of the gigantic hainniers. 
He asked Mr. Midas if he might move a little nearer, 
in order to see what they were doing. Soon he saw 
that at each blow of the hammer a piece of red-hot 
metal was formed into a coin ; and as soon as the hammei- 
rose in the air for the next blow, the boy next the ham- 
mer caught up the hot coin from the anvil eagerly, made 
a wry face, opened his mouth as though he were crying 

Oh ! ” quickly passed the coin to the next boy, and 
then waited just as eagerly for the next blow of the 
hammer to fashion another coin. The boy next him, 
in his turn, caught at the coin as it was passed to him, 
did just the same things the first boy did, and then 
passed it along down the line. 

Surely no stranger thing than that was ever seen 
by any one before. So Tommy thought. Do please 
explain, Mr. Midas ! ” he called out, trying to be heard 
above the incessant roar. 

Whether or not Mr. Midas heard him is a question, 
but he knew perfectly well what the inquiry was ; and 
he put his mouth close up to the child’s ear and shouted, 
‘"Those boys are learning a lesson.” 


THE HALL OF FURNACES. 


63 


Having waited a moment for Tommy to give proper 
attention, he continued : They are learning a lesson 
here which they would not learn at home of their mam- 
mas. They are boys who never could keep a penny, 



but spent it directly they received it ; it burned their 
fingers and their pockets, as the saying is. So they are 
learning to hold coins firmly, even if they do burn a 
little.’’ 

He was looking somewhat sternly and meaningly at 
Tommy. Tommy reflected that, for his part, he preferred 


64 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


to learn that lesson at home. Then he raised his hand, 
opened it, and disclosed the penny still held tightly 
therein. The little man smiled approvingly ; and Tommy 
secretly resolved inside his curly head, that when he 
returned home he would not buy candy with the penny, 
as he had planned, but would put it into his bank. 

He now let his glance wander down the row of boys 
until it rested upon the last one. This boy, as soon as 
he received the coin from the hand of his neighbor, 
tossed it several yards away toward a group of creatures 
that looked, not like Pounds, but like men. 

The two moved cautiously along to obtain a nearer 
view of these objects; and Tommy decided that they 
were old and gray men, with faces as dark as leather. 
They appeared to be sitting, Turk-fashion, upon their 
crossed legs ; and, what was queer enough to Tommy’s 
mind, they were waiting, each with mouth wide open, 
to catch the coins tossed to them by the last boy of the 
row. They were very dexterous, and their mouths were 
enormously large, from stretching them so much; so 
that, no matter how carelessly the boy tossed the coin, 
some one of them always caught it. 


THE HALL OF FURNACES 


65 



Each with mouth wide open, to catch the coins. . . . Then he saw a Pound 
approach, take one of these creatures by his ears, and lift him.” — Page 64. 


66 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


Tommy watched them very curiously and yet not 
without pity. What did they do with all the coins ? ” 
and How could they possibly hold so many, to say 
nothing of catching them?” 

Then he saw a Pound approach, take one of these 
creatures by his ears, as if by handles, and — lift him 
as easily as he would a feather, and set him down in 
another place, a few feet distant. 

It was a little clearer now ; for the creature was evi- 
dently only a shell, like paper or leather, and where he 
had been sitting, was now a heap of gold as large as 
he had himself been, all nicely piled in rolls and ready 
to move away. Indeed, that was just what the Pound 
did. The gold was already on a low dray with very small 
wheels ; and Tommy saw it wheeled away, while all the 
time the strange creatures went on catching the flying 
coins. 

He would never have been able to understand this by 
himself ; but Mr. Midas shouted to him that these were 
the skins of misers, — all that was left of them when 
they died, — flesh and soul all gone, only the skin left, 
and an awful hunger for gold. 


CHAPTER VIL 


THE TREASURE HALL. 


HERE does the 
Pound carry the 
gold?” inquired 
the child, as an- 
other miser-shell 
was lifted and 
another load of 
gold wheeled 
away. 

The Spendthrifts. W^e will fol- 

low,” said Mr. 

Midas, and we shall come into still another hall, where 
you will see more gold than you ever dreamed about.” 

So the two followed carefully after the Pound, and soon 
passed, under a low rocky archway, into this treasure hall. 



68 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


As they entered it, Mr. Midas’s face broke into a broad 
smile, which he tried to conceal with his hand, at the 
same time saying in a sharp tone, There you are, you 
naughty Penny, at it again ! Stop it now ! Stop it, I 
say! Why will you waste your time in such pranks, 
cutting pigeon-wings and keeping up all those antics ? ” 

As he spoke, trying to make his tone as severe as 
he could, Tommy saw a most frolicsome Penny leaping 
and turning somersaults, — cutting pigeon-wings, as Mr. 
Midas called it, — doing all such monkey-like tricks 
with the most astonishing ease and rapidity. Oh, 
that idle, mischievous Penny!” said Mr. Midas. ^^We 
put him here to keep watch in this hall, but he is so 
active and irresponsible that he is very little to be 
depended on.” 

The Penny at once put on a most serious face, ceased 
his antics, and made way for them ; so they passed in. 
Certainly Tommy had never dreamed of such heaps 
and heaps of gold. It was piled up in great cubes and 
pyramids, and the sides of the hall were hidden from 
view as high as Tommy could see. Indeed, the quantity 
of shining gold was so great that no lights at all w^ere 


THE TREASURE HALL. 


69 


needed, and one’s eyes were dazzled by the gleaming 
golden lustre all about. 

In addition to the gold itself, there were one or two 
novel sights which attracted Tommy’s attention as soon 
as he recovered from his first astonishment. One of 
these was a cage, like a cage for wild beasts at the 
menagerie, which stood half concealed behind a project- 
ing ledge of rock. Yes, and there were some strange 
creatures in it too ; Tommy saw them move. 

Of course he wished to go nearer ; and his companion 
readily complied. But what was Tommy’s surprise and 
dismay to discover that they were human beings, — men ! 
They made no sound, they were dressed like ordinary 
men, but they seemed very restless, and eager to get out. 

What have they done ? ” asked Tommy, with pity 
in his voice. Have they killed anybody ? ” 

By no means 1 ” was the reply, in cheerful tones. 

Still,” — and his voice grew serious, — they are not 
blameless persons ; they have done wrong. It does n’t 
seem very wrong to them, but it is. They are spend- 
thrifts, — people who wasted their money, who flung it 
away without any thought of the future. We have a 


70 THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 

record of the life of each of them ; and we find that 
when they were children, they no sooner laid hands on 
a penny than they ran as fast as they could to spend it. 
Two of them were once here to learn the same lesson 
that is being learned by that row of boys in the other 
hall ; but they forgot it after they went back into the 
world, and they grew worse and worse as they increased 
in years.” 

Don’t you ever let them out?” inquired Tommy. 

What would they do if you tried them once ? ” 

No, indeed ! ” responded Mr. Midas, grimly. No, 
we don’t let them out. Once in a great while they get 
out themselves ; and when they do, they cause more 
harm than a hundred mischievous Pennies.” 

Oh dear ! what do they do ? ” asked Tommy anxiously, 
glancing at the cage with fear. Do they eat people 
up?” 

' Hardly that ! ” replied Mr. Midas, repressing a smile. 

Indeed, how could they ? All these people. Pennies 
and Pounds alike, would be pretty hard to eat. No, 
they don’t hurt anybody ; but at the time when they 
escaped, they did just what you would have expected 


THE TKEASUEE HALL. 


71 


from their natures, — they ran straight to these heaps 
of gold coins, and for hours and hours they flung them 
about, in every direction. It was a pretty spectacle, I 
can assure you, when the Pound who has this hall in 
charge came back. Hundreds and thousands of the 
coins were scattered about loosely on the floor.’’ 

Mr. Midas shook his head in angry memory of the 
disorder. 

That was too bad,” said Tommy, with sympathy ; 
and it must have been such a piece of work to put 
them all back.” 

Oh, as for that matter,” remarked the other, smiling 
again, it wasn’t so very difficult. We just directed 
a half-dozen of those miser-shells to be brought in and 
placed about the hall, and then ordered the spendthrifts 
to continue their action, but to fling about only the 
coins already lying on the floor in disorder. As soon 
as they did this, and the coins began to fly about, they 
were very soon captured by the miser-shells, who, as 
you saw with your own blue eyes, are very skilful.” 

As Mr. Midas was relating this interesting anecdote, 
he was leading the way slowly along the hall. Presently, 


72 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


as they rounded a mighty column of coins stacked up 
until they were like a pier supporting the roof, they 
came upon a few persons, men and women, lying in 
various postures among some smaller piles of coins, evi- 
dently fast asleep, and each one with a very complacent 
smile upon his face. 

Tommy looked wonderingly at them a moment or two, 
but Mr. Midas drew him along. Never mind about 
them ! ” said he, with contempt. They are very un- 
pleasant people, the Purse-Proud family. They claim to 
be descended from the old French line of the ^ Nouveaux 
Riches.’ They have neither beauty nor brains, and are 
quite content to lie here day after day, among these 
piles of gold. We won’t wait to look at them, but if 
you will come into the next hall we shall see something 
more worthy our attention.” 

If you please, Mr. Midas,” said Tommy, lingering a 
moment, what are those bright things that fly about 
like birds ? Are they really birds ? They shine like 
gold.” 

Ah, I omitted to speak of them,” responded his kind 
companion, though I ought not to have done so. 


THE TREASURE HALL 


73 



" For hours and hours the spendthrifts flung them about.” — Page 71. 


74 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


Those are not birds, though they do look a little like 
swallows ; they are coins. Have you never heard the 
saying that ‘ Riches take to themselves wings and fly 
away ’ ? ” 

Tommy did recall it. He had heard his wise grand- 
mother say it often. And Mr. Midas carefully explained 
to him that the wings thus taken were the pigeon- 
wings ’’ so unceasingly cut by the frolicsome Penny at 
the hall-entrance. 

The little boy did not fully grasp the idea ; it was so 
very obscure. Yes,” said he, I — I — see; but after 
they have taken the wings, they don’t seem to fly very 
far, — they go round and round, and back and forth.” 

Oh, that is easily understood,” ansvv^ered Mr. Midas. 

You see the wings are ‘ cut,' and no creature can fly 
very well or very far when his wings are cut or 
clipped.” 


CHAPTER VIII. 


THE RETURN HOME. 



‘ Cautioning Tommy to hold fast 
to a ring, that he might not be 
blown awav.” 


S they came nearer 
and nearer the next 
hall, a sound of ma- 
chinery could be 
plainly heard, and 
there was also a good 
deal of motion 
in the air, as if 
a breeze were 
blowing. 

Tommy looked up toward 
the roof, thinking there might 
be an opening there, through 
which the breeze came ; but 
he could see none, and the 
breeze became stronger and 
stronger. Soon the open arch- 
way of the hall could be seen, 


76 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


and through it some Pounds were carrying loads of 
coin. 

I think we shall not be able to go in very far,” said 
Mr. Midas, as they approached the doorway. The 
chimneys are in use now, and, do the best they can, 
our people cannot avoid a good deal of boisterous wind. 
You see, this hall is the one into which the coins are 
taken to be sent up into the world. They are put into 
those cone-shaped chimneys, and then, by the aid of pow- 
erful machinery, a very strong draught is created that lifts 
them far up above the ground, and they fall again to the 
earth, where men can pick them up and use them.” 

Yes, I understand,” assented the little boy. I heard 
our man Jim say the other day that he had been doing 
odd jobs around town all day, but he had only ^ picked 
up’ a very little money.” 

Precisely ! ” nodded the little old man. You are 
very quick to understand these matters.” 

Only,” said Tommy, after a moment’s reflection, I 
don’t quite see how you can scatter them far enough 
away from the chimneys, so that they will fall where 
all the men are ; you know some people live in China.” 


THE KETURN HOME. 


77 


Precisely ! ” repeated Mr. Midas, — for it was a favor- 
ite word with him, — Precisely ! ” Then he knitted his 
brows a moment and said, Yon have heard about the 
earth, — how it turns round and round like a top, only 
more slowly ? ” 

Tommy had a faint idea that he had heard something 
about it. 

Precisely ! Now all we have to do is to vary the 
distance we will send them up. You see the earth turns 
around under them while they are in the air; and if 
they are far up, it turns more than when they go up 
only a short distance ; so that they fall down near by 
if they go up a little, and far away if they go very high. 
It ’s an easy matter to drop them in China.’' 

This was certainly as good an explanation as a rea- 
sonable boy could have expected ; and Tommy, being 
a reasonable boy, asked no further questions, but con- 
tented himself with gazing at the active scenes within 
the hall. 

As the three stood there, — Mr. Midas, Tommy, and 
Jock, — a Pound came hurrying up to Mr. Midas, and 
said he was very much needed in the Furnace Hall, 


78 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


where one of the boys in the row at the anvil had been 
suddenly taken ill. Tommy said he could perfectly well 
remain alone for a short time ; and Mr. Midas departed, 
first cautioning him to hold fast to a ring that was set 
into the rocky side of the archway, so that he might not 
be blown away. 

At first Tommy found the time not at all heavy on 
his hands, for there was much to see. There was a great 
deal of machinery in the hall, wheels and belts and 
great fans ; and the Pounds were busily moving about, 
carrying the gold and tossing it into the great doors of 
the huge cones, each of which was the base of a chimney. 

After several minutes had elapsed, Tommy grew cu- 
rious to go a little nearer the cones and see, if he could, 
what was inside them. He remembered the parting 
injunction of Mr. Midas, however, and kept his place 
a little while longer. 

Then it happened that a stronger draught than usual 
caught off his hat and whirled it a few yards away, where 
it lodged in a piece of unused machinery. What should 
he do?” At first he hesitated. Then he resolved that 
he would try to regain it. He said to himself, — making 


THE RETURN HOME. 


79 


a little excuse, as he remembered Mr. Midas’s words, — 

I can just creep along on my hands and knees. If 
those Pounds can walk upright as easily and steadily as 
they do, I ’m sure I ’ll be safe enough creeping.” 

Alas for Tommy ! Better would it have been for him, 
far better, if he had strictly heeded the advice given so 
kindly by Mr. Midas. I am sure he would have heeded 
it, if only he had paused a moment and reflected how 
much older than himself his kind friend and guide was. 
He trusted, however, too confldently in his own judg- 
ment ; and he forgot, in comparing himself with the 
Pounds, that they were made of metal, and were very 
much heavier than he was. He loosened his hold on 
the ring, and leaned forward to fall upon his hands and 
knees. Then there suddenly came a great gust of 
wind, and rolled him over and over, straight toward 
the open door of one of the huge cones. 

Tommy was terribly frightened, you may be sure ; 
but he was not in the least hurt, and he clung tightly 
to Jock and to the Penny which his mother had given 
him. 

Straight toward the open door he was swept ; yes, and 


80 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


into it, — into it like a feather ; and then Tommy heard 
a great roaring noise, and closed his eyes, and then — 

Then he opened his eyes again, and where do you 
suppose he found himself? He found that he was back 
on the doorstep of his own home. Yes, there he was, 
just as if he had not been away at all. He rubbed his 
eyes and looked at Jock for an explanation ; but Jock 
would not give any opinion in the matter. Then he 
looked at the penny. There it was, tightly clasped in 
his hand. He looked at it closely for a moment. I ’m 
so glad there is n’t any stain on it,” said he, with a sigh 
of relief. If there were, I should be sure that it had 
been used for dishonest purposes.” 

Tommy sat several minutes longer in a perplexed state 
of mind. He tried to think his mind clear and straight ; 
but it seemed very confused and tangled, and little won- 
der that it was, with so many strange things happening 
so close together. There was the gate where the queer 
little man had first presented himself, with his staff and 
bells ; but the little man himself was no longer there. 

“1 don’t understand it,” murmured Tommy, rubbing 
his eyes yet again ; don’t understand it at all.” 



“ He was back on the doorstep of his own home. . . . ‘ I don’t understand it/ murmured 
Tommy, rubbing his eyes yet again ; ‘ I don’t understand it at all.’ ” — Page 80 . 


82 


THE KINGDOM OF COINS. 


Then a kind voice from within the house called, 
Tommy, Tommy, you must certainly come in out of 
the hot sun. I do believe you have been asleep.’’ 

So Tommy arose, took faithful Jock under his arm 
and the penny in his hand, and went into the house. 









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